Adelaide [Australia], December 19 : Australian star batter Travis Head made history, joining a list of cricketing legends to smash four successive centuries at a cricketing venue in his country following a rollicking century at his home stadium of Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Travis continued his fine run during the ongoing Ashes series. What started as a morning full of hope and promise for a struggling England team following a century stand by skipper Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse, taking an early wicket to remove Jake Weatherald, turned into another nightmarish day as Travis pummelled the English line-up and ended the day with a brilliant 142* in 196 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes, with a strike rate of over 72.
He is the second batter after former Australian captain Michael Clarke to score four successive Test tonnes at Adelaide between January 2012 and December 2014. He has had centuries at Adelaide against the West Indies in 2022 (175), against the same opponent in 2024 (119) and against India last year (140). Now he has followed it with another fine century, which continues his incredible run at Adelaide Oval, his home stadium.
Head joined the elite company of legendary Australians Don Bradman (at Melbourne Cricket Ground from 1928 to 1932), Michael Clarke (at Adelaide from 2012 to 2014), Steve Smith (at MCG from 2014 to 2017) and English legend Wally Hammond (Sydney Cricket Ground from 1928 to 1936) as the fifth batter to score four successive Test tons at a particular Australian venue.
At Adelaide Oval, Head has scored 786 runs in eight matches and 11 innings at an average of 87.33, with four centuries and two fifties and a best score of 175.
This year in 10 Tests and 19 innings, he has made 731 runs at an average of 43.00, with a strike rate of 79.71, including two centuries, three fifties and a best score of 142*.
Head is reigning supreme above everyone in the ongoing Ashes series, with 351 runs in three matches and six innings at an average of 70.20, with a strike rate of 86.24, including two centuries and a best score of 142*.
Coming to the match, Australia won the toss and opted to bat first. After being reduced to 94/4 courtesy of some incredible bowling from Archer, a 91-run stand between Usman Khawaja (82 in 126 balls, with 10 fours) and Alex Carey brought the Aussies back in the game. Carey went on to get his first Ashes ton, scoring 106 in 143 balls, with eight fours and a six. Starc (54 in 75 balls, with eight fours) also continued a dream run with the bat as the Aussies piled on 371 runs.
Archer (5/53) was exceptional for England, while Brydon Carse and Tongue got a couple each.
Later, England slipped to 168/8 in their first innings, with Ben Stokes (83 in 198 balls, with eight fours) and Jofra Archer (51 in 105 balls, with five fours and a six) putting on a hundred partnership and ending the innings at 286 all out, trailing by 85 runs.
Australia ended their day at 271/4, with Head (142*) and Alex Carey (52* in 91 balls, with four boundaries) putting on a century partnership and giving Australia a massive 356-run lead.